Leyton Orient v Notts County at The Matchroom Stadium Npower League One

Leyton Orient moved into the top 10 of the Npower League 1 table and ended Notts County 22 game unbeaten away run, after a 2-1 victory at the Matchroom stadium.

David Mooney put the hosts in front just after the hour mark after heading from close range, from winger Lee Cook’s sublime cross.

The O’s instantly doubled their lead, when Cook’s corner was cleared, straight to the feet of Frenchman Mathieu Baudry, who lashed home in the bottom right corner.

Keith Curle’s men persisted with constant pressure, and it was finally rewarded when Neal Bishop’s cross found Enoch Showumni. He saw Lee Hughes unmarked, who simply could not miss.

The win for Russell Slade’s men was certainly deserved, dominating possession and missing countless scoring chances.

Mooney could have put the East London side ahead much earlier in the game, when his fierce effort went narrowly wide of Bartosz Bialkowski goal.

Striker Charlie MacDonald’s full blooded challenge on goalkeeper Bialkowski left the goalkeeper unable to carry on and was replaced by Fabian Speiss, which resulted in a staggering 8 minutes added time in the first half. Leyton Orient failed to capitalise on the injury, and both teams went in at 0-0.

Long serving O’s shot stopper, Jamie Jones, was quick to deny County’s Showumni and winger Alan Judge with fine saves, with Hughes beating Jones, but missing the goal as his header went wide of the post.

With a further 7 minutes injury time in the second half, both teams still failed to take advantage, and the Brisbane Road outfit hung onto the 2-1 lead to gain a priceless 3 points.

Leyton Orient’s next game is a tough encounter with high flying Swindon Town, before a trip to mid table Stevenage awaits Russell Slade’s men.

We are all fully aware that Fergie’s incredible tenure as gaffer as Manchester United is not going to last forever. Here are the top 10 managers that should be considered to replace him.

Steve Bruce

The former Red Devils stalwart and current boss of Championship side HullCity has had plenty of managerial experience. since retiring in 1998, he has previously coached at Sheffield United, HuddersfieldTown, Wigan Athletic, CrystalPalace, BirminghamCity and Sunderland.

His manager style is simple, if you don’t concede, you don’t lose games. However, will his style of play suit with the Old Trafford faithful?

Mark Hughes

Another former player in the pipeline, and another who has had plenty of experience. After his illustrious career, mainly with Manchester United and Chelsea, Mark Hughes has previously managed Blackburn Rovers, ManchesterCity, Fulham, QPR and the Welsh national team.

However, what is different about him to Bruce, his attacking ambitions and motive to score plenty of goals will surely attract the Red Devils. One stumbling block maybe, there has been no real success with Hughes, especially with QPR and Fulham.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

As known by the Man United fans as the ‘baby faced assassin’, Solskjaer is now managing in his native Norway, with Molde. He also managed the Man United reserves for a short stint, before taking the Molde hot seat. During his playing days, he was considered a legend with every club, scoring 237 goals in 382 appearances with Manchester United, Molde, and Clauseenengen.

I think it’s obvious that everyone associated with the Red Devils will have Solskjaer back in a heartbeat, but one issue that may occur, experience. He has only been in the management business since 2008, and would surely need some more matches under his belt.

Jurgen Klopp

Another young manager, who is a very good candidate to consider, Jurgen Klopp. Still very young for a gaffer, at the tender age of 45, the German gone on leaps and bounds with Borussia Dortmund. Winning the double in the 2011-2012 season is his career highlight, and regular qualification for the Champions League is another incredible achievement.

Despite his youth for a manger, I defiantly think that Klopp has all of the credentials to succeed Ferguson, and take the reigns at Old Trafford.

Laurent Blanc

Former player Blanc who first job in management was with Ligue 1 side, Bordeaux, did an extraordinary job, winning 60% of his matches and leading them to a league and cup double. The French national team was his next destination, guiding them to the top of Euro 2012 in the qualifying stages, and reaching the Euro 2012 quarter finals.

Now without a job, the Frenchman is now looking for the right opportunity, however, it has been known for players and board members to be frustrated with Blanc at times. Can he be the right man at Manchester United?

Joachim Loew

The stylish German has many admirers, and is possibly favourite to replace Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. However, he suits Manchester United down to the ground. He has previously managed Stuttgart, Austria Wien, and Fenerbache, but his notoriety comes from managing the German national squad. Semi finalists at Euro 2012 and 2010 World Cup are his most coveted achievements.

Nevertheless, for him being recognised as one of the best managers on the planet, has he under achieved with Germany? Is this good enough for Manchester United?

David Moyes

Probably the favourite to replace Sir Alex, David Moyes has emerged as one of the best mangers in the Premier League. Since he took over in 2002, he has guided Everton to countless top 10 finishes, not to mention on a minimum budget. His greatest accolade, was guiding Everton into the Champions League for the first time in their history.

The stumbling block is Moyes has already declared that he is a keen admirer of the German Bundesliga, and would not managing in the Geramn topflight, could he really turn down the Red Devils for Germany?

Ryan Giggs

The Manchester United legend, who has chalked up 926 appearances for the Red Devils, would be a competitive contender for a place in the old Trafford dugout. The winger knows United inside out, and knows what suits Manchester United, and what doesn’t. Despite undergoing his UEFA coaching badges, Giggs has no managerial experience. Could the Welsh wizard bring more success to Manchester that what Sir Alex did?

Eric Cantona

The controversial Frenhman is just as much as a legend as Giggsy. The dream signing from Leeds United made 143 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 80 goals. His only involvement in management is with the French beach soccer side. Currently director of Footbal with newly formed New York Cosmos, the extravagant midfielder would defiantly be welcome back at Old Trafford.

He is well known for lashing out at a CrystalPalace fan after being sent off. Is controversy surrounding Cantona what Man United really need?

Jose Mourinho

Despite all of the great managers and Manchester United legends that have been mentioned, this is the man every Red Devils fan wants to see take to the helm. His early retirement as a player has rewarded him with being the very best manager in the world. Winning 20 trophies in with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, he is the first manager to win the traditional top three European league championships.

His record speaks for itself, and is by far and away the best candidate to replace the great Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

With George McCartney injured, youngster, Dan Potts is the only recognised left back for the Upton Park outfit, and with Olsson’s Premier League experience, it will be a real coup if Big Sam can pull this signing off. With the Hammers struggling for goals, Swedish international Ollson can provide the added ammunition West Ham desperately need, with his attacking prowess and ability to cross and shoot from range, you can defiantly see why West Ham want him in a claret and blue shirt.

Rio Ferdinand

With the return of the very skilful, Joe Cole, maybe Allardyce should think about bringing another old face back to the Boleyn Ground. It is apparent that West Ham are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements, with James Collins out for up to 6 weeks with a hamstring injury and James Tomkins being linked with a move to Newcastle, Ferdinand could become a real stalwart in the Hammers backline. The United defender is out of contract this summer, and with no extension offered to him so far, his leadership ability and all round presence could greatly benefit the Hammers.

Charles Kabore

With many top flight clubs tracking West Ham’s player of the season so far, Mohammed Diame, 24 year old Marseille midfield enforcer, Charles Kabore could be an ideal replacement if Diame was to depart. Kabore has recently stated that he would be interested in a move to England, and with Marseille strapped for cash, the bargain of the January Transfer window could be made, as it is understood he could be available for as little as £2 million. On the basis of his age, and raw talent Chales Kabore could potential be the bargain of the season.

Charlie Austin

The Burnley hitman has endured a fine start to the season, notching up 23 goals already this season, and on current form, he’s not finished yet. His goals have gone unnoticed this season, with the likes of Newcastle and even Arsenal ready to pounce for the 23 year old striker. However, I think it’s West Ham that are more in need of goals, with one of the lowest goals tally in the Premier League this season, Allardyce needs a clinical finisher and an eye for goal in order to secure their of a top 10 finish. With his notability for goals, and his young age, it looks as though a bid of around £7-8 million could be realistically acceptable for the Championship’s joint leading scorer.

Anthony Pilkington

The Norwich winger has been nothing short of a revelation since joining from Huddersfield Town nearly 2 years ago, and his remarkable ability to cross accurately and score a few crackers in the meantime, Allardyce should surely be thinking that his crossing ability, and set piece delivery should provide perfect substance for Carlton Cole, Andy Carroll and Maroune Chamakh. But with the Canaries going steadily in the top flight, and not far off West Ham in the league table, would Pilkington really make the move to East London?

Danny Welbeck

Reports suggest that because of superstar Robin Van Persie’s incredible form, and Sir Alex Ferguson reluctant to leave fellow England forward out of the team, it looks as though Welbeck could be available for a short term loan deal. With his pace and endeavour, this is definatly an attractive option that Big Sam would gladly take up. Nevertheless, because of his proven ability, many clubs higher than the Hammers in the table will also be looking to sign him, and I very much doubt that because of West Ham’s hefty wage budget, Welbeck will be far too expensive. If the deal was to happen, the question lies, where will this leave Carlton Cole?

Darren Bent

Out of favour at struggling Aston Villa, Darren Bent has the capabilities of still producing some of his best form, maybe reproducing what he did in his playing days at Sunderland. His natural instinct at being in the right place at the right time, raw pace, which is something West Ham lack, and proven goal scoring record, West Ham should without a doubt be looking into getting Bent on board. The snag is Bent has already rejected West Ham twice, first at Charlton even though a staggering £16million bid was accepted for him, and then at rivals Tottenham Hotspur where he wasn’t playing at his best. Is it a case of it really was not meant to be for Darren Bent and West Ham United?

Fernando Amorebieta

The 6”3 defender is out of contract with Spanish La Liga outfit, Athletic Bilbao, this summer, and is thought to be looking for a move elsewhere. Amorebieta came through the famous Bilbao youth system, where only players of Basque decent are allowed to play for the club. He has been one a few players from the Bilbao academy that has been consistently solid throughout his career and has got plenty of admirers, including Manchester United and Everton. With West Ham in desperate need of defensive cover, Amorebieta could be the perfect fit for the Hammers. Known for his heading capabilities and positioning, can the Spanish stalwart be a success in England’s top flight?

Lucas Biglia

Lucas Biglia is a creative midfielder who likes to show off his flair and play the game at his own pace. The Argentine maestro is with Belgian champions Anderlecht, but if reports are correct, which is he has gone AWOL or in other terms ‘doing a Tevez’, Biglia could become a shining star for the Upton Park side. Avaiable on a free transfer in the summer, the Belgians will be looking for a quick fire sale, and maybe a bid of around £3million could be enough to tempt Anderlecht to sell the silky Argentine. Furthermore, he could become an ideal replacement for French anchorman, Alou Diarra, who looks as though he could be set for a six month loan deal with Espanyol. Is Biglia the right choice to replace Diarra?

George Friend

The 22 year old, who can alternate between left back and centre back, has impressed since joining Championship promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough from Doncaster Rovers. The lanky defender has many Premier League suitors, including Aston Villa, Wigan Athletic and Fulham, and since he has never been given the chance at the highest level, maybe it is time to give him a fair crack of the whip. Allardyce will like his versatility as he is short of numbers at the back, and with strength in depth in desperate need for the Hammers, West Ham should probably be looking at about a £2-4 million bid to prize the English defender away from Teeside.

Former Southampton and Celtic boss, Gordon Strachan has been appointed Scotland manager, replacing Craig Levein.

The no nonsense Scotsman has signed a contract to keep him charge of the Hampden Park outfit until the end of the current World Cup qualifiers and through the duration of the Euro 2016 qualifiers.

In his media conference in which he was unveiled as the Tarten Army boss, Strachan expressed his delight at being appointed of the national side, saying “I’m very proud but also my family are proud. The time is right for me to be able to take a job like this.”

He also added “If you can be successful you can make a nation happy and make a nation proud and that is the priority for me to be able to do that with help from other people.”

“I have the experience, I like working with people, I like dealing with people and I like trying to make people better,” he added, stressing the importance of taking Scotland to the World Cup in Brazil and Euro 2016 in France.

Before appearing as a television pundit for both the BBC and ITV, Strachan’s last managerial job came at Middlesbrough, where his rather unsuccessful spell ended in October 2010, when he left the Teesiders sitting in 20th place in the Championship table.

Other teams Strachan has managed are Coventry City, Southampton and Celtic, where he had his most successful spell as a manager, winning the Scottish league title on three consecutive occasions, 3 league cups, and guiding Celtic to the quarter finals of the Champions League.

DRS, known as the Decision Review System, is a technology based system used to review controversial decisions made by on-field umpires in the subsequent scenario of the batsman being dismissed. There are two main components of the DRS system. Firstly, there is Hawk Eye, which is ball tracking technology that plots the trajectory of a bowling delivery that has been interrupted by the batsman, and it will also determine whether the ball would consequently hit the stumps or not. The second component to the Decision Review System is Hot Spot, which is an infra-red camera devise which shows where the ball has been in contact with the pad or bat.

However, the DRS system is not in place for all international matches, and it has made many international nations rather angry that it is not a mandatory tool. Firstly, in the rules and regulations, is the decision of the international boards whether or not to include the DRS system and not the International Cricket Council (ICC). Secondly, with the use of the DRS system, there is no real need for the umpires, as video technology alone can determine the correct decision of a piece of controversial incident that has happened in a Test match.

One nation that is rather sceptical about the DRS system’s accuracy is top ranked nation in the ICC rankings, India. England have a four day tour of India coming up and are not to pleased with India, because of the exclusion of the DRS system. The Indian board feel that the Hawk Eye and Hot Spot technology is not up to professional and is sometimes inaccurate. However, from my perspective, I think that this excuse is rather pathetic, as most nations are in favour of this technology. Furthermore, I truly believe that many other sports, like Football, can learn from this and introduce technology, especially Hawk Eye into their respective sports.

However, without the technology, broadcasters still use it for their productions so that viewers can see the contentious decisions made by the umpires without the technology, and maybe, this could be classed as acceptable. There is one fundamental reason why broadcasters take advantage of the umpires not using it, entertainment. Cricket, and all other sports, is a perfect platform for controversy, and for broadcasters to use this in there productions create many talking points and drama. This increases the viewing stats, and therefore, more people watch more one day internationals.

On the basis of all of these points, the question beckons, should the DRS system be used in all competitions? From my perspective, I think it should, solely because it creates a level playing field, and with the game of Cricket being surrounded by match fixing, I think that the last thing that Cricket needs is more controversy on and off the field.

16 time world champion, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor said that he would be chuffed to bits to see Darts in the Olympics, after his 7-4 victory against Dutchman, Michael Van Gerwen in the PDC world championships. However, is he right?

Despite the announcement that there will be an investment of £508 million until 2016, unfortunatly there will be funding cuts to some key Olympic sports including Handball and Volleyball which may not feature British participation in Rio De Janeiro for 2016.

With the success of the 2012 games in London in all areas of the track and field, the question lies with is there room for Darts to compete in the Olympics?

You have to say that it is more popular than many Olympic sports, and there are now sports that are being questioned for being categorized as Olympic sport such as Football and Dressage.

Former British Olympic Association Director, Sir Clive Woodward took to Twitter to say “Darts is definatly an Olympic sport. Look at the fans, TV coverage, audience and real skill under pressure.” Taylor said “You’d have a good atmosphere, it’d be exciting to watch.”

Based on these comments made by people who have extensive knowledge in the sporting legacy, I would definatly agree that Darts could become an Olympic sport, and maybe should be considered for Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

As a dramatic new season concluded, and with 26 year old Sebastien Vettel equaling fellow German great Michael Schumacher’s record in winning three straight world championships, it begs the question to me, what is the future of F1?

Well, from my perspective it all comes down to one crucial element that is now absolutly critical in almost every Sport, money, money and more money!

You can now safely say that the driving days of Sir Jackie Stewart, Sterling Moss, Alain Prost and of course Ayrton Senna are now extinct, when all that was avaiable to them was an acceleration pedal and a steering wheel!

In today’s world, there are too many components in order for Mr. Ecclestone to pocket a few millions, but is it destroying the love of racing?

Sponsorship, adveristisement, endorsements, technology, prize money, all of these are now high priority in the world of Formula 1, and all of these are also linked to the most expensive sport in the world, Football.

And with the recent movements of Lewis Hamilton controversially leaving McClaren to join forces with Nico Rosberg at Mercedes and young Mexican, Sergio Perez replacing Hamilton to partner Jenson Button at McClaren, drivers are changing teams quicker than footballers are.

So, the most fundamental question that needs to be answered is why has Formula 1 become more of a business venture than an exciting and enternaining sport to watch?